To promote development of professional quality hyper local online journalism

At A Glance

Year of Incorporation2006

Organization's type of tax exempt statusPublic Supported Charity

Organization received a competitive grant from the community foundation in the past five yearsYes

Leadership

CEO/Executive Director Paul Bass

Board Chair Norma Rodriguez Reyes

Board Chair Company AffiliationLa Voz Hispana

Financial Summary

Projected Revenue$530,000.00

Projected Expenses$530,000.00

Statements

MissionTo promote development of professional quality hyper local online journalism

BackgroundWe began in 2005 with the idea of reviving local reporting and using new media tools to involve the community more directly in the process than ever before. It has been exciting to see how that can work and to help design a national model. We were the one of the two first not-for-profit professional local online-online news sites in the country; now many others are following.

Impact

We have continued to grow our three existing projects, daily news websites with strong community participation, in New Haven, Branford, and the Lower Naugatuck Valley. We are launching a new low-power FM/web-streamed radio station in the middle of 2015, to be integrated into the website. We have developed a "true vote" regular feature that asks readers to put themselves in the position of decision-makers on pressing issues. We have hired new staffers who bring a broader perspective to our site. We have increased our work with young people, from internships to enlisting a host of students to help collect results on election night.

NeedsOur biggest need is ongoing funding to publish. We run on charitable donations and foundation grants. Sponsorships by organizations begin at $15,000 a year. Individuals are asked to contribute $120 up to $1,000.

CEO StatementRunning OJP has revived my faith in local journalism and public discourse. I've had to learn the importance of taking a stronger hand to moderating comments from readers than I'd originally envisioned. That has paid off. It's a lot of work, but it has brought many different perspectives into the mix, and kept the tone civil.

Board Chair StatementOur ongoing challenge has been building a sustainable funding base. We have done that in part by seeking donors open to longer-term commitments. In that way we have built a base that covers approximately half of our annual expenses. We have separately addressed this challenge by developing an arts beat that has attracted a separate institutional base, in part through a flyer "billboard" and Sunday e-mail newsletter focusing on culture.

CEO CommentsOur biggest challenges include sustainability/funding and broadening our relationship with readers in how we cover news. We are developing a new radio project that is drawing new support and increasing the number of New Haveners who produce content, as well as increasing the number of ways people interact with us. We have also developed a growing list of donors who agree to multi-year gifts so we can plan further into the future.

CEO/Executive Director

Paul Bass

Term StartJuly 2005

Emailpauljbass@gmail.com

ExperienceA reporter and editor in New Haven for over 35 years; co-author of Murder in the Model City: The Black Panthers, Yale, & The Redemption of a Killer (Basic Books 2006).

This profile, including the financial summaries prepared and submitted by the organization based on its own independent and/or internal audit processes and regulatory submissions, has been read by the Foundation. Financial information is inputted by Foundation staff directly from the organization’s IRS Form 990, audited financial statements or other financial documents approved by the nonprofit’s board. The Foundation has not audited the organization’s financial statements or tax filings, and makes no representations or warranties thereon. The Community Foundation is continuing to receive information submitted by the organization and may periodically update the organization’s profile to reflect the most current financial and other information available. The organization has completed the fields required by The Community Foundation and updated their profile in the last year. To see if the organization has received a competitive grant from The Community Foundation in the last five years, please go to the General Information Tab of the profile.